The present invention relates to a reusable lightweight panel mat system for the construction of equipment support surfaces and temporary walkways and roadways in areas having poor ground integrity characteristics. More particularly, the present invention relates to a reusable system of durable panel mats which are much lighter than wood or wood/steel mats which can be quickly and easily positioned in a single layer to form equipment support surfaces, walkways or roadways and which can thereafter be easily removed and stored until needed again.
While conventional wood mats provide useful service at a reasonable cost, the wood core can deteriorate over time due to moisture causing gradual rotting and degradation of the wood material. This causes the mat to be discarded, because unlike some of the other materials that are used on the upper and lower layers of the mat, the core cannot be replaced without essentially making an entirely new mat.
Also, wood mats generally require heavy equipment for installation due their weight and bulk. Accordingly, alternatives to wood mats are needed for alternatives for wood mats that need to possess the necessary physical properties to be able to withstand harsh outdoor conditions as well as to support equipment. And of course cost is a factor in determining the selection of alternate materials, as it is not cost-effective to provide a mat that is multiple times more expensive than one that can be made of wood.
Thus, there is a need for improvement in these types of mat constructions both to provide longer service lives as well as to conserve natural resources and facilitate installation, and these needs are now satisfied by the panel mats of the present invention.